Acceptance
by Literary Double
Summary: Okay, so I know there are a million post "Journey's End" fics, and there's probably one that's similar to this, but even so, I had to write it. It's a oneshot of Rose trying to come to terms with the events that transpired. Contains spoilers. Rose.Doctor


**Disclaimer: **I do not own Doctor Who! If I did, it wouldn't be awesome like it is, it would be some awful television show with way too much sappy romance.

**Author's Note:** I know that there are like two pages worth of post "Journey's End" fan fictions, but in all honesty, this was really written so that I, personally, could try to accept the whole 'two doctors' thing. I hope they're in character. Also, I have no idea if the house is really that big, or if there's grass around it.

He was the last thing he had given her. And she wanted to love him. But she couldn't. How could she? All those memories, all those feelings for the doctor - she couldn't just transfer them to some - some - some cheap copy!

Rose sighed, and buried her head in her hands. She knew she was being harsh - but how could anyone expect her to just accept everything so easily? No. Because, honestly, after she had met the doctor, her entire life revolved around him. Her time with him had been the best she'd ever had, and even now the happenings of that time were the fondest memories she held.

A tear slipped onto the bed sheets and she flopped backward on the king-sized bed, curling up and hugging her knees. She had lost him once and then done everything she could to find him. And now she had lost him again. It was almost too much. She buried her head in a lavender pillow and a muffled sob escaped her.

--+--

The doctor silently traversed the hall, trying to remember which room he shared with Rose in this insanely large house. He briefly wondered why humans had such large houses. What did they use them for? They could only do so much at one time. Unlike Time Lords. He thought smugly.

His grin, however, was wiped off of his face as he reached the proper door and his sensitive hearing picked up a sound from within. He sighed as he heard it, and leaned his head against the door, looking anciently sad as only someone who's lived for more than nine hundred years can understand.

Only he hadn't technically lived that long, had he? Nor was he a Time Lord. And that was exactly why he was hearing that harrowing sound. The doctor - the second doctor - slumped against the door and slid down till he was sitting on the cold floor. He didn't want to go in. He knew his presence wouldn't help Rose; he'd tried to comfort her countless times before, but she had quickly wiped away her tears, brushing it off and saying she was fine and she was happy they were together. And in truth he could tell it made her worse - having the root of her problems come in and try to tell her everything was okay.

The doctor, too, buried his head in his hands, wondering if perhaps he should sleep downstairs on the couch in the fancy living room. In this overly large house, it was absurd that the doctor couldn't have his own room. Jackie just had to put them in the same room with only one bed, he thought bitterly, but in truth he knew she was only trying to help her daughter accept him. If only it would work.

--+--

Rose sighed after she had cried herself out and rubbed her eyes, wondering why the doctor was absent so late at night - twelve forty-two, to be exact, according to her bedside alarm clock. Having nothing better to do, she decided glumly that she'd go looking for him. It would be suspicious if she ignored his absense. After all, around him she did her best to act like she wasn't bothered. In fact, she was very sweet to him. Maybe a little overly sweet, but he wouldn't be able to tell, she reflected, opening the door.

"Ow!" The doctor exclaimed as the door slammed into the back of his head. He'd been so caught up in his thoughts that he hadn't heard the crying stop and the doorknob turn.

"Oh!" Rose jumped, wondering why the doctor was lurking outside the room while simultaneously hoping he hadn't heard her crying. "I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention." She said quietly, bending down and gently touching his head to check for a bump. She looked at him, trying to seem like the typical caring girlfriend. "Are you okay?"

The doctor looked up, brown eyes meeting brown. For a moment they just looked at each other, and for a moment Rose felt like she was looking at the doctor, her doctor. The moment was interrupted, however, when they heard a crash of what sounded like glasses or plates from downstairs, a "Dammit!", and an, "Oh, Pete, the new China..." The 'couple' looked away from each other, looking rather awkward in the way that they were both sitting looking in opposite directions.

"So..." The doctor broke the silence. "Would you maybe care to go for a walk?" He suggested tentatively, only glancing in her direction. Rose nodded, off in her own world. How could she have thought of him as the real doctor? She wouldn't allow it. She wouldn't say that this man was the one she loved. Her doctor couldn't be replaced.

--+--

After making sure that the mess in the kitchen would be easily taken care of without their help, the doctor led Rose around the estate, finally pulling her by the hand to sit down on the cool grass.

For a while they just sat there, each wrapped up in their own thoughts; Rose feeling guilty while the doctor tried to plan out what he was going to say. Finally, he spoke.

"Rose..." He began, and turned to her. She looked back, eyes sad, forgetting to keep up her facade. "This isn't working, is it?" He asked, as gently as he could, making sure it didn't sound as though he was blaming her.

Rose immediately put on a wide smile. "Of course it is!" She said. "I lo-" She broke off, unable to say it. "...We're happy, aren't we?" Sufficed instead.

The doctor shook his head. "To be honest, you're not a very good actress, Rose." He half smiled. "You're acting over the top sweet every time your around me, and no human being, in love or not, acts that way."

She sighed, and the smile disappeared as she dropped her gaze to the grass. So it hadn't worked. In all honesty, she hadn't expected it to.

"And Rose," the doctor began again, "You cry every night before I come in." Rose bit her lip. So he'd heard her. She hadn't been fooling him at all. The doctor took a deep breath. "I know it's hard to accept this - to accept me." He said. "We have the same memories, feelings, personalities, thoughts even." He turned to Rose and gently lifted her chin. "But you're right. We're not the same person."

Rose looked up, surprised. That was the last thing she'd expected him to say. She thought he'd be like everyone else, trying to convince her that this was her doctor, right here.

The doctor continued, "I mean, we can never be the same person to you. But Rose..." He gently moved his hand to the side of her face, wiping away a tear whose existence she hadn't even noticed. "I feel the same way about you as he did." He leaned closer, lips at her ear. "I love you, Rose. So much. I need you. And so did he. And that's why I'm here."

Rose closed her eyes and leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his neck. It was easier to love him this way. As someone who was the same as the doctor, and yet somehow wasn't trying to replace him.

"Thank you." She whispered, and drew back to kiss him, their first real kiss since the other doctor had left them on Bad Wolf Bay.

They remained that way for a while, holding each other while Rose slowly began to accept this new doctor.

* * *

**A/N:** Okay, I can't tell if I liked this story or not. I feel like it may have been too sappy or out of character. Anyway, I hoped it made sense, and I'd appreciate constructive criticism, no matter how harsh. So long as it tells me how to improve.


End file.
